SAN JUAN – Electric car manufacturer Tesla has installed separate solar panels and batteries to help restore electricity at the Hospital del Niño in the Puerto Rican capital which has been left without power by Hurricane Maria.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself has donated $250,000 to the relief effort on the island following the devastation left by the storm.

Tesla also tweeted “Grateful to support the recovery of Puerto Rico” along with Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello.

Rossello said in a statement that Tesla helped install solar panels in the children’s hospital generating 200 kilowatts of solar power and 500 kilowatts of storage.

This new system will create enough solar energy to keep the hospital running during the day and keep the 500 kilowatts as backup to be used when needed.

“I am grateful to Tesla for choosing this site because many vulnerable children depend on it. Without energy, many could not receive their medical treatment,” tweeted Rossello.

He also stressed that this type of installation could serve as a model to be followed by public or private entities offering critical services to citizens.

The executive director of the Hospital del Niño, Maria Lopez, said that Tesla’s action has enormous implications for the operation of the institution.

“Our mission is to contribute to the rehabilitation of children with physical and mental disabilities and we now have a permanent population, many of whom suffer from severe chronic conditions that require specialized treatment and can not be managed without electricity,” added Lopez.

Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on the island’s power system over a month ago and resulted in the death of at least 51 people.

Enter your email address to subscribe to free headlines (and great cartoons so every email has a happy ending!) from the Latin American Herald Tribune: